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Anchorage Police 'calls for service' report highlights crime hotspots

Every year national crime statistics are reported by federal law enforcement agencies based on major crimes such as murder, assault and property crimes. But what about the other categories? You know the ones. The ones where neighbors called the cops because your party spilled onto their front lawn?

The Anchorage Police Department annually publishes a report titled “Calls for Service,” which covers the 38 community council areas throughout the Municipality of Anchorage. While homicide, assault and property crimes always get top billing when the report is released, I decided to take a closer look at some of the other reported violations.

"A call for service is simply a request for police assistance," said Lt. Dave Parker in an interview with andrewhalcro.com. "Calls for service do not always generate a police report," he added.

The numbers below represent 2010, the latest published figures by the APD.

Loud Party: Thinking about having a toga blowout like the Delta Tau Chi, complete with a couple of John Belushi wannabees? There are three current leaders in Anchorage competing for the crown of the most police calls for loud parties: Northeast C.C. 99, Abbott Loop 82 and Sand Lake 78.

Prowlers: Worried about peeping toms getting an eyeful or strange vehicles roaming around your 'hood? These three C.C. areas are home to more prowler calls than anywhere else in Anchorage: Spenard 32, Northeast 31, Sand Lake 23.

Robbery: Stick em’ up isn’t just relegated to the big cities. In Anchorage there are three areas where getting taken isn’t an analogy: Northeast 31, Sand Lake 23, Spenard 21.

Stolen Vehicle: Car thieves have their preferred brands, but in these three areas they’ll take whatever they can get their hands on: Taku 90, Spenard 84, Northeast 66.

Indecent Exposure: This category offers two possible definitions. Either you’ve been caught without your pants or you’ve been caught with them down. Either one, these three areas lead the city in wardbrobe malfunctions: Fairview 42, Chugiak 37, Mountian View 36.

Bomb calls: This can be anything from a suspicious package to a real bomb threat call. These three areas have had more bomb scares than any other area of Anchorage: Downtown 4, Northeast 3, Rogers Park 3.

Alarm: This category covers everything from false alarms set off at area businesses and homes to burglaries in progress. There are three choice areas in town where Alarms tend to go off more than anywhere else: Taku 1280, Mid-town 918 and Abbott Loop 798.

Prostitition/Gambling: In the days of yesteryear, when Spenard Road was home to a dozen or so massage parlors, they clearly ruled the roost for the most prostitution and gambling. Some things never change. Spenard 102, Fairview 37, Northeast 33.

Eluding: This is my favorite category. How many fugitives try and outrace the police like Bo and Luke Duke in the General Lee? Or how about fleeing the scene of the crime by trying to hide in a neighbor's shed. Haven’t these fools ever heard of Police dogs? Northeast 11, Fairview 9, Mid-town 9.

Domestic Violence writ: With domestic violence being so common in Anchorage, we look at the neighborhoods where APD officers issued the most DV writs to protect the victim: Fairview 222, Northeast 219, Abbott Loop 151.

Here are the yearly totals for major crimes of 2010 in Anchorage

Murder – 13

The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.

Rape – 264

The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly against her will.

Robbery – 454

The taking of or attempt to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person by force or threat of force.

Aggravated Assault – 1,701

An unlawful attack or attempted attack upon a person for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury.

Burglary – 1,223

The unlawful entry of a structure with intent to commit a felony or a theft.

Theft – 8,178

The unlawful taking of property from another without the use of force against the person.

Motor Vehicle Theft – 813

The theft or attempted theft of a vehicle.

Andrew Halcro is the publisher of AndrewHalcro.com, a blog devoted to Alaska issues and politics, where this report first appeared. He is president of Halcro Strategies and Avis/Alaska Rent-A-Car, his family business. Halcro served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, and he ran for governor in 2006 as an Independent.